Finley Brings Magic to the Mound

Chuck Finley’s forkball Wednesday night “was vicious, it just kept disappearing,” Angel closer Troy Percival said. It wasn’t the only pitch that frustrated the Yankees, though.

The left-hander, who gave up one run on four hits in seven innings of the Angels’ 4-1 season-opening victory, unveiled a new offering, a two-seam pitch that looks like a fastball and then becomes a changeup.

“It’s nice to add a new wrinkle somewhere besides your face,” Finley said. “You get them looking for a certain arm slot, motion, delivery and release, and they react to a fastball. By the time they’re committed to it, they’re way short on the swing. It’s just deception.”

ON DECK

* Opponent--Cleveland Indians, three games.

* Site--Edison Field.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Fox Sports West tonight, Saturday night.

* Radio--KTZN (710).

* Records--Indians 2-0, Angels 2-0.

* Record vs. Indians (1997)--7-4.

TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ JACK McDOWELL (3-3, 5.09 ERA)

vs.

INDIANS’ DAVE BURBA (11-10, 4.73 ERA)

* Saturday, 7--Allen Watson (12-12, 4.93) vs. Bartolo Colon (4-7, 5.65).

* Sunday, 1--Jason Dickson (13-9, 4.29) vs. Charles Nagy (0-0, 17.36).